Najee Harris with his Antioch High School varsity football coach John Lucido before Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Source: John Lucido’s Facebook page

By Luke Johnson

The number one high school football recruit in the country, Najee Harris of Antioch High in Antioch, California is sticking with his commitment to the University of Alabama and will not decommit and attend the University of Michigan.

According to his trainer Marcus Malu, owner of Malu Fitness, Harris arrived on campus Sunday and will enroll Monday as spring semester classes begin Wednesday. Harris graduated from Antioch High School Dec. 22 — a semester earlier than most students in the Class of 2017 — to get a head start on practicing with his college team during spring ball.

He committed to Alabama as a sophomore in April 2015, but kept his recruitment status open and strongly considered Michigan. Many people thought Harris would change his decision based on the rapport developed with head coach Jim Harbaugh, who visited Antioch three times last year — most notably at Antioch’s Homecoming Game on Oct. 23, where he announced the Homecoming Queen winner.

However, Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban also made a visit to Antioch to meet with Harris in mid-December, which might have helped solidify the five-star running back’s decision.

Harris rushed for the most career yards in Northern California history with 7,948 on top of scoring 99 touchdowns. But Harris has gone on record saying his proudest accomplishment was leading Antioch to its first league championship in 31 years in his junior year as the team finished the regular season undefeated (10-0).

He became the first Antioch student to participate in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He represented the West, whose offense struggled and only scored 10 points in a 27-17 defeat to the East in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. After the game Saturday, Harris told reporters he was still undecided. However, he was seen arriving at Birmingham International Airport in Alabama the next morning.

According to national news reports including by NBCSports, which showed up on Yahoo! News, Antioch High running back Najee Harris will not announce his college of choice, publicly but will just show up on campus.

Najee Harris ranked #1 recruit in the nation. Source: 247Sports.com

Making national news as the nation’s number one high school football recruit, this year, Harris was in San Antonio, Texas at the second day of training, Tuesday for Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He was being watched by media from across the country, but wouldn’t give any interviews. He did however speak with 247Sports on Monday and said, although he’s committed to the University of Alabama, Harris is still “undecided” and considering the University of Michigan, as well as U.C. Berkeley.

The website reported that Antioch High Varsity Football Coach John Lucido said Harris will simply fly to his college of choice after the game to enroll in school early, without notifying the media. Only his “circle of trust” will know.

Both Alabama head coach Nick Saban and former offensive coach Lane Kiffin visited Harris in Antioch, this past year, as well as Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, the former coach of the San Francisco 49ers.

Najee Harris at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl practice field. Source: AL.com

According to 247Sports Harris is “ranked by the industry-generated 247Sports Composite as the nation’s No. 1 prospect,” and that “the five-star Harris has been a verbal to Alabama since April of 2015, but Jim Harbaugh and Michigan have created doubt about the future for the ballyhooed recruit who took his official to Ann Arbor in mid-December and has been there a few times.” (Harris is also ranked the nation’s No. 1 high school football recruit by Scout and Rivals).

According to MLive.com, “Harbaugh hosted a satellite camp at Antioch in June and even announced the homecoming queen while watching Harris play in October. Harris visited Michigan in August for the BBQ at the Big House annual recruiting event and took an official visit to Ann Arbor in December.”

According to AL.com, when Harris was “asked if he’d just duck interviews after the game and head to the airport and to his school of choice, he said that’s what he plans on doing. So, there will be no announcement.”

However, according to 247Sports, on Wednesday “Alabama quarterback commit Tua Tagovailoa told 247Sports that he would be on the same flight as…Najee Harris to Birmingham at the completion of the Army Bowl. That news seemed to indicate Harris’ intention to enroll at Alabama in January, effectively ending his recruitment.”

The article further states Tagovailoa has also said this week that Harris is also his scheduled roommate in Tuscaloosa. Tracked down for confirmation in the hallways of the Grand Hyatt hotel, Harris playfully said, “What flight? I don’t even know my flight.”

Yet, on Thursday, 247Sports reported they have “since learned from two sources that Harris’ departing flight from San Antonio actually has Oakland — his hometown (airport) — as its final destination.”

Then, a further report by 247Sports Thursday morning, has Harris heading to Alabma. “As part of the invitation to play in the Army Bowl, travel is paid for, with a departing flight from San Antonio to anywhere of the player’s choice. Those flights can be changed — and Thursday afternoon, after practice No. 3, Harris made use of the flexible nature of the Army Bowl’s travel capabilities. It is unclear, but assumed, that Harris’ travel request will be accommodated.

A non-Bama bound player on the West squad told 247Sports on Thursday he had heard Harris would stick with his Alabama commitment, too. Classes start Jan. 11 at Alabama.”

So the mystery continues and we’ll have to just wait until after we watch Harris play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl this Saturday, Jan. 7th at 10:00 AM on NBC. For more information about the game visit www.usarmyallamericanbowl.com. To learn more about Najee Harris and his high school career playing for the Antioch Panthers, visit his Wikipedia page, his page on MaxPreps, or search his name on www.AntiochHerald.com.

Antioch High running back Najee Harris wearing the jersey as a U.S. Army All American, with representatives of the U.S. Army, following a ceremony in the school’s gymnasium on October 7, 2016.

Five-star running back, top recruit in the nation

By Tyler Vistalli

Najee Harris, the number one high school football recruit in America and one of the best up and coming football stars this area has ever seen, has been honored as a U.S. Army All-American and selected to play in the bowl game of the on January 7th in San Antonio, Texas.

At 6’3”, 226 lbs, Harris, Antioch High’s star running back, has rare physical skills that allow him to run with great balance and patience, as well as being able to fight through tackles and take it to the end zone. He finishes his high school career with the most rushing yards in Bay Area history (7,945 yards), which also ranks fourth all-time in California, plus 99 touchdowns and an incredible 9.5 yards per carry.

During their stop in Antioch, the U.S. Army Selection Tour held a ceremony in the Antioch High School gym on October 7th, and presented Harris with his All-American jersey. The tour traveled to schools across the country to personally give each of the team’s players their jerseys and hold a small ceremony in their honor. Harris’ mother, Tiana Hicks, was also presented with the American Insurance Dream Champion Award. This award is given at each event to recognize family members that play an important role in the All-American’s success.

Being selected as a U.S. Army All-American is a very prestigious honor as they only select 90 of the country’s top high school football seniors for the class of 2017. Previous participants of this game include NFL stars Ezekiel Elliot, Odell Beckham Jr., and Andrew Luck to name a few. The players are divided into two teams, East and West, and play a game to showcase their talent to the world. More than just a game, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a week-long event that consists of awards ceremonies, coaching from college and NFL coaches and a national combine for the top underclassmen football players. Harris attended this combine for underclassmen when he was a junior and his experience fueled his commitment to play in the game his senior year.

Having not signed a letter of intent, his college destination is still undetermined, as of press time. Harris has a firm verbal commitment to the University of Alabama, but Michigan and USC have made their way into the mix. Being an early enrollee to start college courses in January, his decision will need to be made in the next few weeks.

Watch Najee Harris play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Saturday, Jan.7. The game will be nationally televised on NBC at 10am.

Scott Busby’s #73 division record 65th career A Modified feature win was worth $1,500. Busby now has 71 career wins, which leaves him one win behind speedway legend J.D. Willis for the lead on the all time list. Photo by Paul Gould

By Don Martin II

When Scott Busby began his racing career at Antioch Speedway in 1979, he ran a Street Stock, and the track was promoted by it’s founder, John Soares Sr. On Saturday night, Scott scored one of the biggest wins of his career in the John Soares Sr. Memorial Top Dog Shoot Out. Busby won his heat race earlier in the evening to set the stage for his big $1,500 30 lap Main Event win.

Busby was the early Main Event leader, but the race changed after a yellow flag for a Turn 4 wreck involving Troy Foulger and Duane Cleveland on lap nine. Busby lost the lead as another A Modified legend, Randy McDaniel, moved by. McDaniel won the Jerry Hetrick Memorial Race earlier this year. Busby settled back into third behind three time winner Brian Cass, but the three cars ran in close formation up front. Busby made an inside move in Turn 4 of the 23rd lap to take second from Cass, and a spin in Turn 1 forced a lap 26 caution flag. Two false starts by the leaders followed and could have resulted in the first two rows being swapped. However, track officials wanted to let the two battle it out for the $1,500 win. McDaniel ran the inside line, and Busby got a good run on the outside. As they headed down the back stretch, Busby pulled ahead, and he carried that momentum through Turns 3 and 4 to take the lead. From there, Busby went on to a hard fought victory ahead of McDaniel, Cass, Michael Paul Jr. and Bobby Motts Jr.

Richard Papenhausen #4p scored his third $1,500 DIRTcar Late Model win of the season, and he appears to be headed for his second championship in three seasons. Photo by Paul Gould

Richard Papenhausen took an emphatic step towards the DIRTcar Late Model championship with an impressive 20 lap Main Event victory. With mechanial issues striking fellow heat winner Troy Foulger early, the anticipated battle with Papenhausen never materialized. Papenhausen grabbed the lead early and steadily pulled away from the competition for what is surely a championship clinching $1,500 victory. Terry Kuntz and Dennis Souza were season best second and third place finishers, both on the lead lap. Danny Malfati returned and finished fourth ahead of Shawn DeForest.

Reigning B Modified champion Fred Ryland returned to Antioch Speedway and won the $850 first prize in the 20 lap B Modified Main Event. Brian Pearce was running strong and won his heat race by a straightaway. Pearce led the early goings of the Main Event, but F. Ryland was quickly into second and shadowing Pearce. Chuck Golden stalled at the Turn 1 exit midway through the race for a yellow flag. Ryland managed to grab the lead from Pearce on the restart, but one more yellow slowed the pace three laps from the finish. The “psyche game” saw Ryland jump a start that was called back. Pearce did the same thing the next time. On the third attempt, Fred Ryland maintained his pace and held off Pearce for the big victory. Many time Merced and Hanford A Modified champion Paul Stone drove the Tim Hammett car to a third place finish as heat winner Patti Ryland and Mitch Enos rounded out the Top 5.

Fred Ryland #7j returned to his home track and scored an $850 victory in the B Modified Main Event. It was the fourth win of the season for the reigning track champion. Photo by Paul Gould

Three time reigning Hobby Stock champion Kimo Oreta returned for only the the second time and once again won the 20 lap Hobby Stock Main Event. Oreta, who is the division’s all time Main Event win leader with 23 wins, could not resist the lure of the $850 payday. The early goings of the Main Event were just a bit rough, and one incident saw Frank Furtado lose a wheel to end his race. Oreta had to bring his A Game to this race as point leader Guy Ahlwardt and recent winner Melissa Myers were running closely behind him. However, Oreta was just a bit faster and grabbed Bob Kempf’s checkered flag ahead of Ahlwardt and Myers. John McClendon got the opportunity to drive the Bob Brown owned car for the first time and piloted it to a fourth place finish ahead of Fred Ryland.

The championship season wraps up on October 22nd with a loaded seven division program that includes A Modifieds, DIRTcar Late Models, Wingless Spec Sprints, B Modifieds, Limited Late Models, Hobby Stocks and Dwarf Cars. For further information, go to www.antiochspeedway.com

For the first time ever the 70th Annual Grand National Livestock Expo, Horse Show, and Rodeo announces Friday, October 21, 2016 as “Tough Enough To Wear Pink” Day, and plans to bring together the Breast Cancer community in a day of solidarity and awareness. As a national campaign, Tough Enough to Wear Pink Programs in rodeos across the nation have raised almost $10 Million dollars. But the biggest asset of the program is that the money stays in local communities.

The Grand National Rodeo has partnered with Bay Area Cancer Connections, and California Pink Plate. To get involved attendees can stop by booths in the Western Marketplace to learn about early detection and other resources for cancer patients and survivors. Bay Area Cancer Connections is a nonprofit that provides free programs and services that address survivorship needs of all those facing breast and ovarian cancer in the Bay Area, including early breast cancer detection services for low-income uninsured young women and men.

By partnering with the California Pink Plate organization, the Grand National hopes to help the organization reach the DMV requirement of 7,500 paid orders which will then move the Pink Ribbon license plate into production. The Pink Plate is almost halfway to their goal, with nine months left until the deadline, the Grand National can play a big part in helping to make the plate a reality. All proceeds from the pink license plates goes to the ‘Every Woman Counts’ initiative, which provides underserved women all over California the opportunity to get free screenings, something that the founder of the pink plate feels is the key to beating the disease.

“I am a nine-year stage IV breast cancer survivor and I ignored my lump for several months. I don’t want that to happen to another woman/man. What better way to remind people everyday about early detection than on the California roadways. Pink Plate can become a part of the solution. This is an opportunity to save countless lives and remind people daily about the importance of early detection. We are all in this together, and excited to partner up with Tough Enough to Wear Pink and the Grand National Rodeo this year! I don’t think about myself as a breast cancer SURVIVOR, I think of myself as a breast cancer FIGHTER! I know we’ll meet our goal and encourage Rodeo fans to purchase or gift a Pink Plate through our website www.pinkplate.org, so we can reach our goal of 7,500!” – Chere Rush, California Pink Plate Co-founder

For 70 years the iconic Cow Palace Arena & Event Center has been celebrating the old west and inspiring youth to take part in the agriculture industry through their annual Grand National Livestock Exposition, Horse Show and Rodeo event. From top to bottom, the Cow Palace is filled with the ultimate western experience including an agriculture exhibition, a professional Rodeo in partnership with the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association), and a classic western marketplace – including mechanical bull rides, live music, BBQ, shopping, and more.

The family-friendly event takes place all day over two, action-packed weekends on Oct. 14-15 and Oct. 21-22, 2016. Although tickets must be purchased for the Grand National Rodeo in the main arena, the Livestock Exposition, Horse Show, Interactive Agricultural Area, and Marketplace are FREE to the public.

Use coupon code ‘PINK’ to receive $6.00 off reserve Dress Circle tickets or $11.00 off reserved Box Seat tickets to the Oct. 14-15 & 21-22 rodeo performances. Tickets can be purchased on the Cow Palace website (cowpalace.com). For more details contact info@cowpalace.com or call 415-414-4100.

Event Schedule, Friday Oct. 21 – ‘Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day’

NCA Dog Trials

PRCA Rodeo

About California Pink Plate:

Pink Plate’s mission is to educate, promote and raise funds for Breast Cancer Awareness in California. Early detection saves lives. We can think of no better way to spread this message than through the California Pink Ribbon License Plate. All funds generated from sales of the California Pink Ribbon License Plate will be deposited into the Breast Cancer Control Account, which funds the Every Woman Counts (EWC) program (click here). EWC is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and provides free clinical breast exams and mammograms to California’s underserved women.

About Bay Area Cancer Connections

Bay Area Cancer Connections is a nonprofit organization that supports people touched by breast and ovarian cancer by providing comprehensive, personalized services in an atmosphere of warmth and compassion. The nonprofit provides free programs and services that address survivorship needs of all those facing breast and ovarian cancer in the Bay Area, including early breast cancer detection services for low-income uninsured young women and men. Learn more at www.bcconnections.org.

Free Tickets

If you know a breast cancer survivor who would like to attend the Grand National Rodeo with their family on Friday, September 21st for free, contact the Contra Costa Herald at info@contracostaherald.com and we’ll reserve a ticket good for them and four guests. Tickets are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In addition, we also have a free General Admission ticket good for any of the four days, available to each of the first four readers who contact us.

The Warriors’ Steph Curry answers questions at the press conference following Game 7 of the Western Conference finals, on Monday, May 30, 2016. photos by F.D. Purcell

Warriors win three in a row beating Thunder 96-88 to head to their second straight NBA Finals

The 2016 Western Conference Championship trophy was presented to the Warriors following Monday night’s victory.

By F.D. Purcell, Herald Bay Area Sports Reporter

When two-time MVP Stephen Curry did his usual pregame ball toss and pop with courtside security guard Curtis Jones on Monday his eyes were dark and dim, but there was something about his aura. He was laser focused. Curtis inbounded the ball, Curry missed the first shot, the crowd gasped. After he missed his next three, he held up one finger, head bobbing to the music…splash.

What a precursor to the game he’d have scoring 36 points in his team’s 96-88 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-3 in the best of seven.

“No one ever had any doubt we could get this done,” said Draymond Green following the game.

Fans paid as much as $29,000 for courtside seats for this game after the Warriors won Game 6 in Oklahoma. The Oracle fans stayed afterwards as the team received their Western Conference Championship trophy midcourt.

“We were a mature basketball team that tried our best not to listen to the noise outside,” said Curry. “Let’s figure this out let’s go out and take it one game at a time and crawl our way back into the series and see what happens.”

They crawled and clawed back, winning three in a row, silencing all who said they couldn’t do it.

Now they’ll face the Cavaliers for the second straight year. The Warriors swept them in the regular season. King James will certainly be looking for redemption.

The Warriors host Cleveland in Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday, June 2nd. Tip-off is at 6:00 p.m.

Saturday night at Antioch Speedway featured another action packed event that entertained the crowd and concluded at a reasonable time. When the checkered flag flew on the five Main Events, it was Jeff Decker (A Modifieds), Jim Perry Jr. (Wingless Spec Sprints), Trevor Clymens (B Modifieds), Mark Biscardi (Dwarf Cars) and Melissa Hansen (Hobby Stocks), collecting the victories.

All last season, while he was winning the Late Model championship, Jeff Decker was working on his A Modified. It’s ready now, and he has begun racing in this division as well. With a few of the name drivers not at the track tonight, defending champion Scott Busby was hoping he might add to his all time division leading win total. Unfortunately, he ran into to an obstacle in Decker’s #84 car. Decker drove a good race and earned the victory, forcing Busby to settle for second. Trent Wentworth enjoyed one of his best efforts in a while as he won his heat race and finished third in the feature. The other heat race winner, 2014 champion Carl Berendsen II, was fourth as Norm Boeck rounded out the Top 5.

After back to back third place finishes in Wingless Spec Sprint competition, Jim Perry Jr. decided he had enough of that. The all time winner in Spec Sprint racing with over 40 feature triumphs, Perry Jr. grabbed the lead and set sail for his first win of the season. Only one early yellow slowed the pace, and Perry Jr. would leave the pack behind from there. He was chased across the line by his son, Jimmy Perry III. The father and son are both past division champions. After winning his heat race, Roy Fisher collected a respectable third ahead of defending champion Kyle Bakkie and heat winner James East.

Last time the Dwarf Cars were in action, Bay Area Dwarf Car competitor Mark Biscardi paid the track a visit and brought home the victory. He liked it so much that he returned and impressed with another feature win. Biscardi’s win came ahead of title contender Kevin Miraglio, who is still searching for his first win. This second place finish was Miraglio’s third Top 3 finish of the season. Miraglio was also a heat race winner. Tim Reeder enjoyed his best career finish in third, while heat race winner Chuck Weir was fourth. Teammates Mike Corsaro and Charlie Correia were fifth and sixth, respectively. Corsaro came into the night as the point leader ahead of Miraglio.

The Hobby Stocks produced a solid 15 car field, and point leader Guy Ahlwardt was a heat winner along with Danny Jones and two time division champion Melissa Myers. The Main Event was a fast paced, non stop affair that saw Myers grab the lead. Once she had it, she would not relinquish it as she became the fifth different feature winner in five races. Ahlwardt gave a it a good effort before settling for second. After rolling his daughter’s car in his season debut last time out, past Street Stock champion Rob Waldrop was just happy to keep his car on four wheels. He did better than that as he grabbed the final podium position in third.

Trevor Clyemens is on a roll in B Modifieds and will creep back up the point leader if this continues. The second generation leadfoot collected his second straight Main Event victory. If not for missing a race, Clymens might very well be leading the standings now. Clymens had to work for this one after starting back in the fifth row. He steadily worked his way to the front to battle with Brian Pearce for the lead as they hit lapped traffic down the stretch. Clymens would use traffic to get the win. Pearce wasn’t as lucky as contact with one of the slower cars sent him into the front wall. Meanwhile, rookie Shane DeVolder would grab his second runner up finish of the season. DeVolder came into the night second in points and will gain a little on incoming point leader Al Johnson, who missed the top five this time. Heat winner Lloyd Cline grabbed a season best third ahead of K.C. Keller and double division racer Danny Jones. Paul Mulder was the other heat race winner.

Racing continues next Saturday night at Antioch Speedway with a six division program that features Winged 360 Sprint Cars, A Modifieds, Limited Late Models, B Modifieds, Dwarf Cars and California Hardtops. For further information, check out the official website at www.antiochspeedway.com.
Unofficial Race Results, Saturday Night May 14

Professional wrestling promotion Beachslam kicked off its second season Saturday, April 16, at Sonja’s Country Inn in Knightsen in front of approximately 120 spectators.

Beachslam is affiliated with a popular promotion in Oakland called Hoodslam that regularly welcomes an audience of 1,000-1,500 people; which is almost unheard of for an independent show that does not tour.

The matchcard featured top local draws such as Rick-Scott Stoner and “Ultra Girl” Brittany Wonder, whom teamed up with Christian Sky for the first round of a trios tournament. The loudest crowd pop of the night came when Stoner lifted one of his opponents, Bobby Burgerhands, in the air for a Last Ride powerbomb and was followed by a top rope seated senton from Wonder, which finished the match via pinfall.

“We’ve never done it before. We talked about it. We came up with the idea, but it always ended up getting scrapped,” Wonder said about the finishing move. “That was the first Turn Down for Butt from the shoulders.”

The rest of the card resulted in Sideshow Joel, Marcus Eriks and Trent Hemorrage defeating heel stable The Berkeley Banditos, C.A.U.T.I.O.N. putting over Hayward Heat, and Zangief winning a fatal four-way match. The host of the evening was AJ Kirsch, who is best known as a cast member of WWE’s reality competition show Tough Enough in 2011.

Beachslam is only for adults 21 years old and up. Although pro wrestling has generally been family friendly throughout its history, the owners decided to target an adult consumership to separate themselves from the competition. Beachslam originated in Santa Cruz in 2015, but relocated to Sonja’s Country Inn due to conflict of interest with the venue. For the second season there will be shows every second Saturday of the month.